The government instituted after a constitutional referendum in 1987 is known as the Sixth Republic. The constitutional structure is patterned mainly on the presidential system of the United States and is based on separation of powers among the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. The government system, highly centralized during most of South Korea’s existence, is less so under the Sixth Republic. The president, since 1987 chosen by direct popular election for a single five-year term, is the chief head of state , head of the executive branch, and and government and commander of the armed forces. The State Council, the highest executive body, is composed of the president, the prime minister, the heads of executive ministries, and ministers without portfolio. The prime minister is appointed by the president and approved by the elected National Assembly (Kuk Hoe).

Legislative authority rests with the unicameral National Assembly. The powers of the National Assembly, which was reinstated in 1980 after a period of curtailment, were strengthened in 1987. Its 299 members are chosen, as previously, by a combination of direct and indirect election to four-year terms.

South Korea has a multiparty system in which two parties have tended to dominate, although their names and composition have often changed. In the early 21st century the conservative Grand National Party and the centrist-liberal Democratic Party were dominant.

Local government

South Korea is divided administratively into the nine provinces (do or to) of Cheju, North Chŏlla, South Chŏlla, North Ch’ungch’ŏng, South Ch’ungch’ŏng, Kangwŏn, Kyŏnggi, North Kyŏngsang, and South Kyŏngsang; and the metropolitan cities (kwangyŏksi) of Seoul, Pusan, Taegu, Inch’ŏn, Kwangju, Taejŏn, and Ulsan. Each has a popularly elected legislative council. Provinces are further divided into counties (gun) and cities (si), and the large cities into wards (ku) and precincts (tong). Provincial governors and the mayors of province-level cities are popularly elected.

Justice

The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court, three appellate courts (High Courts), district courts, a family court, a patent court, and administrative and local courts. The Supreme Court is empowered to interpret the constitution and all other state laws and to review the legality of government regulations and activities. The chief justice is appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly; the mandatory retirement age for the chief justice is 70. All other Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the chief justice; they serve six-year terms, to which they may be reappointed, and the retirement age is 65.

Armed forces and security

South Korea maintains a large, well-equipped armed-forces establishment—consisting of army, navy, and air force branches—although it is still considerably smaller than that of North Korea. The army is by far the largest component, and there is a sizable reserve force. Military service is compulsory for all males. South Korea’s main military objective is to deter an attack by the North. To that end it has a Mutual Defense Treaty (1953) with the United States, and a large contingent of U.S. troops is stationed in the country.

Civilian intelligence gathering and other nonmilitary matters of national security are the responsibility of the National Intelligence Service, formerly called (1981–99) the Agency for National Security Planning and (1961–81) the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. Military intelligence is handled by the Defense Security Command. The Korean National Police Agency combines standard police duties with responsibility for counteracting communist infiltration and controlling civil disorders.

Health and welfare

The availability of medical services increased enormously after the Korean War, covering the basic needs of the country, including the remote rural areas, to a satisfactory level. Most people now have some sort of medical insurance coverage. Public health and sanitation have greatly improved, thus reducing epidemics. The average life-expectancy rate rose dramatically from the 1950s, while the death rate more than halved. The infant mortality rate also declined sharply.

The government provides basic social welfare services: public pensions, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation and health insurance, and public assistance. After the Korean War, United Nations agencies, civilian and military agencies of the United States, and private volunteer agencies played a significant role in the steadily improving living conditions in South Korea. Also significant was the dramatic increase in household income, especially among industrial workers. Despite these overall improvements, a disparity still exists between the quality of life of the rural population and that of urban dwellers.

Housing

Rapid expansion of urban areas, especially the expansion of Seoul and Pusan, has resulted in considerable changes in the urban landscape. Before 1960 there were few multistory buildings; even in Seoul, most structures were lower than 10 stories. Between 1988 and 1992, in response to a housing shortage created by rapid urbanization, the government sponsored the creation of more than 2.5 million housing units, mostly in the form of apartments. Construction continued at a similar rate in the years immediately following. High-rise buildings, especially apartment blocks, are now common in the cities. By the early 21st century more than half the country’s population lived in apartment buildings. Because of this rapid growth, city services, such as water, transportation, and sewage systems, generally have lagged behind the needs.

Education

Six years of primary school education and three years of middle school are compulsory, and virtually all children of school age are enrolled. Nearly all middle-school graduates continue to high school or technical school. About four-fifths of high school graduates go on to higher educational institutions. Graduation from a college or university grew considerably in importance in South Korea after World War II, and the number of college-level institutions increased enormously. Admission to a college or university requires applicants to pass a fiercely competitive entrance examination; high school students must endure grueling preparation work for these examinations, and less than half of high school graduates get the opportunity to study at universities. Nearly all of the most-prestigious schools are located in Seoul; these include the state-run Seoul National University (founded 1946)—one of more than a dozen national universities located throughout the country—and the private Korea University (1905), Yonsei University (1885), Ewha Womans University (1886), and Sookmyung Women’s University (1906). In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, overseas study, particularly in the United States, grew in popularity.